[ALB]

I don't understand why you say Chomsky's view will irritate some here. It seems a reasonable description of what the Syriza election victory represents, i.e. a vote against austerity, but not for socialism or against capitalism. I suppose we could argue as to whether or not this is a "good thing". Maybe not, but it would have been a worse thing if they voted again for those who had been administering austerity to them.Chomsky's view is more or less the same as that of a Greek group whose article was published on the Marxist-Humanist website

Quote:

The working class and the petty bourgeoisie vote for SYRIZA was a revenge vote against a right-wing government whose harsh austerity programs had disastrous effects on their lives and had pushed them to depression and suicidal tendencies. It was a vote against the politics of fear that had promoted not only the police repression of struggles but also numerous daily, small and depressing “civil wars” among the workers. It was a vote against the constant and monotonous propaganda of “there-is-no-alternative” dogmas.

The vote is one thing. What the Syriza government will be able to do is another thing. After all there-is-no-alternative-under-capitalism. The Greek group are not very optimistic either:

Quote:

The gradual adjustment of SYRIZA to realpolitik shows that, after pruning out most of its positions which are considered unacceptable from the standpoint of the dominant neoliberal capitalist strategy in the Eurozone, and by keeping and maybe enriching the most harmless ones such as those concerning the so-called social economy, it can transform itself into a “fresh” and rather competent manager of the capitalist state.

Competant or not, a manager of the capitalist state is all it will be able to be.

[ALB]

I imagine the reporter was just innocently conveying a fact. After all, to be said to be Australian is not disparaging in most people's eyes. Quite the opposite, I would have thought.

[ALB]

moderator1 wrote:

I have replied to this post on the 'Moderator suggestion' thread on the Website/Technical forum.

Good. About time. Why don't you now lock this thread and transfer any further discussion to the technical section where it should be and have beeb.

[ALB]

It's rather obvious that she's Aussie-born as soon as she opens her mouth I wouldn't have thought many will think that to mention this is to be xenophobic.Anyway, it seems that the Green Party is winning hands down in the competition with Left Unity to win the left-of-Labour vote:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-31491221as well as RMT President Peter Pinkney standing for them.In fact, Left Unity doesn't even seem to be trying.

[ALB]

Is this story about the SWP "entering" the Green Party true?http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/green-party-turn-red-make-5129083  It seems more like dirty tricks by this Labour-supporting paper desperate that some of those who used to say "Vote Labour till doomsday" are now supporting the Green Party, which could cost Labour seats.

[ALB]

Young Master Smeet wrote:

online fora

Is that a misprint for "flora". In this case it ought to be.

[ALB]

Young Master Smeet wrote:

I think this sums up what TUSC means to the RMT:http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/rmt-union-president-im-standing-8598307

Quote:

Peter Pinkney, the highest ranking layperson of the RMT Union, will campaign against Ed Miliband’s party in Redcar, claiming: “The party of the left is now the Green Party.”

I think its safe to say he won't win.

Here's the SPEWers reaction to this body blow to their strategy:http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/campaign/Election_campaigns/TUSC/20095It's all a plot by the "millionaire press" to promote the Greens instead of TUSC !

[ALB]

That's probably because UKIP's equivalent in Greece, the "Independent Greeks", are in a coalition government with Syriza. It's not so hard to imagine leftwing anti-EU people going into coalition with UKIP to form a government to negotiate the UK's withdrawal from the EU. The late unlamented No2EU used to use the same sort of anti-EU arguments as UKIP. The Scargill Labour Party still does.

[ALB]

Another quote for the file, from a spokesperson for the British Bankers' Association quoted in an article in the business section of yesterday's i paper:

Quote:

Banks make profits by looking after customers' deposits and lending it out to people who want to borrow.

They also borrow from institutions to lend out to businesses and governments but the principle is the same.

[ALB]

Just remembered, there is a link. The Islamic State are also peadophiles:http://rt.com/news/229747-isis-women-marry-9/following in the footsteps of the founder of Islam, the man himself, who, aged 53,  married a girl of 9.http://www.muslimhope.com/AishaNine.htm

[ALB]

'Anonymous" have also been targettig the Islamic State:http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/technology-science/technology/hacking-group-anonymous-remove-1000-5143903

[ALB]

The orthodox Jews are just as bad of course. So criticism of the ritual slaughter of animals can't be dismissed as "Islamophobia".

[ALB]

Our candidates in Swansea and Vauxhall have received between them nearly a hundred identical emails, apparently via 38 Degrees:

Quote:

I'm concerned about the recent revelations that HSBC has been helping the super-rich dodge their tax, and that the government has not been acting to stop this. As a prospective parliamentary candidate in my area, can you let me know what you pledge to do to crack down on tax dodging and prevent scandals like HSBC from happening again?

To which we have replied:

Quote:

Thanks for your enquiry. The Socialist Party is not particularly concerned
that the super-rich dodge paying their taxes. We are more concerned with
the existence of a class of super-rich within society.

Their income and wealth derives from the exploitation of the rest of us
who, by our work, produce all the wealth of society. Socialism will put an
end to this by making the means of wealth production common property under
the democratic control of the community. There will be no rich or
super-rich nor poor or super-poor, just a classless society of free and
equal men and women cooperating to produce and distribute what they need
in accordance with the socialist principle of "from each according to
their ability, to each according to their needs".

If you wish to know more about what the Socialist Party stands for don't
hesitate to ask.

[ALB]

ALB wrote:

. But hallal meat is served everywhere, and not just to muslims, in prisons, schools, hospitals. Does anyone know why? It can't be just to suck up to muslims. Is it cheaper or something?

I think I've found a partial answer to my question. According to this recent news item, it will be because it's cheaper:http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/london-council-defends-criticism-over-claims-it-banned-pork-from-primary-schools-10041519.html

[ALB]

TUSC have just announced their list of candidates so far – 72 towards their target on 100:http://www.tusc.org.uk/txt/320.pdfIt shows that there'll be a head-to-head clash between us Socialists and the Trotskyists in 3 of the 10 seats we are contesting: Swansea West, Oxford East and Folkestone & Hythe. The surprise is that Vauxhall is not on their list. The reason for this is that: the sitting Labour MP, Kate Hoey, is a member of the RMT parliamentary group and SPEW doesn't want to antagonise the RMT for fear of losing this union's funding and, since the death of Bob Crow, lukewarm political support. Thus is exposed their hypocrisy in saying that the Labour Party has become anti working class but refusing to stand against Labour candidates supported by RMT. This may also be the reason why they are not contesting one of the Brighton seats as might be expected.

[Author]

Posts